Spartans advance in Class A district with 48-39 win over Gull Lake

Since Lakeview started playing in Class A, it hasn't been able to win a district title in girls' basketball.

In fact, even wins in a single district game have been hard to come by.

The Spartans are looking to turn that trend around as Lakeview defeated Gull Lake, 48-39, in this Class A girls' basketball district opener on Monday.

Lakeview, which improves to 13-8, advances to the second round of the district where it will play Jackson on Wednesday at Holt. Jackson, at 6-15, defeated Loy Norrix, 54-52.

"We won a lot of district games early in my career, but in the last five or six years we haven't sniffed a first-round victory. So this feels good," Lakeview coach Don Bussler said. "We talked about it. At some point, you have to have the desire and skill level to win one. You can't win a district title until win that first district game. And we did that tonight, so now on to the next step."

Lakeview had to hold off an aggressive Gull Lake team until the final minutes to get the victory. It was the second-straight win for Lakeview over Gull Lake as the Spartans ended the regular season with a 48-37 win over the Blue Devils on Friday.

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"They played much better tonight than they did Friday, and we knew they would," Bussler said. "We won by nine points tonight, but it felt like a one-point game. Felt like the game could've gone either way until the end."

Lakeview dominated play early and opened up the second quarter on a 9-0 run to lead 17-4 at one point. Gull Lake scratched out some points the rest of the half and trailed 20-11 at intermission.

The Spartans continued to put the pressure on in the third quarter and after Kirby Homer hit a 3-pointer at the end of the period, Lakeview led 32-20 to start the fourth quarter.

Employing a full-court press much of the fourth quarter, Gull Lake would get the lead down to six points, but wouldn't get any closer.

Gull Lake ends the regular season at 11-10 as Kirsten Taylor came off the bench to lead the team with 11 points.

"It was a good battle. My kids fought hard. We needed more shots to fall. Bussler had his kids playing hard, so give them all the credit," Gull Lake coach Mike Balcom said. "We felt like we were in the game until the clock ran out, we just needed a few more things to go our way."

Sophomore Ava Cook led the way for Lakeview with 22 points as Savannah Olsen had 10 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and four steals.

"Ava Cook carried us tonight. She played 30 minutes of intense basketball for us tonight and Savannah Olsen was big on the boards, she was just incredible," Bussler said. "But tonight we aren't talking about individuals, we are talking about how we survived and advanced as a team. It was a team effort tonight."

And that Lakeview team will be looking to survive again on Wednesday, moving one step closer to an elusive district crown.

"These guys want to do something this school has never been able to do, and that's bring home a Class A district championship trophy," Bussler said. "That trophy case doesn't have one of those in it right now and this group wants to be able to bring their kids and grandkids back to see that one day. But you have to win that first district game before you win a district title - and we did that tonight."